Mobile devices, such as cell phones, can be used in many locations where operation of the device would be disruptive or inappropriate. For example, telephone calls may be disruptive in locations such as churches, mosques, libraries, movie theaters, meeting rooms, and other places where silence is expected. However, in order to control the actions of a cell phone, a user currently has to pull the phone out and manually adjust a setting or mode to keep the phone from ringing. For example, in a movie theater the user must pull out their phone and either turn the phone off or adjust the ringer to vibrate. Then, once the movie is over, the user must remember to turn the phone back on turn the ringer back on.
One option currently available to certain venues is to install cell phone jammers. Cell phone jammers may be used to prevent cellular phones from receiving and transmitting telephone calls. While these devices can be used in many locations where a phone call would be disruptive, this may not be a great idea because if there is an emergency no signal is available.
Thus, a need exists for automatically controlling various features within mobile devices in certain locations.